Process for the manufacture of meerschaum pipes



Patented June 10, 1941 PROCESS FOR. THE MANUFACTURE OF MEERSCHAUM PIPESFloyd L. Martin, Downs, Kans.

No Drawing. Application February 26, 1940, Serial No. 320,893

7 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of what is commercially knownas meerschaum for the use in the manufacture of tobacco pipes, cigar andcigarette holders, etc. Heretofore, all such articles have beenmanufactured from the mineral sepiolite imported chiefly from AsiaMinor. This material is a fine white clay-like mineral, soft and lightenough when in dry masses to float on water, and is particularlyadaptable for smokers articles since it is light-weight and does notimpart a foreign taste or odor to the burning tobacco.

The material is essentially a hydrous silicate of magnesium. Magnesiumsilicate is available in the Western hemisphere but the latter has notbeen satisfactory for the manufacture of the above articles since it isextremly fragile and will not withstand the uses to which such articlesare put.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a processproducing, from domestic or western magnesium silicate, a product whichcan be used for smokers articles and which will compare favorably in allrespects with the imported sepiolite. 1

Many attempts have been made to coat or mix the magnesium silicate withvarious binders to increase the mechanical strength thereof. All ofthese attempts have met with failure due to the fact that the binderswill either decompose under the influence of the burning tobacco anddiscolor or disintegrate the meerschaum or will impart an objectionabletaste or odor thereto. Commercial meerschaum, however, produced by theprocess herein described has the strength of the imported meerschaum;will take a very high polish; will impart no taste or odor to theburning tobacco gases; and is perfect in color.

In carrying out the process, the hydrous silicate of magnesium is finelypowdered in a ball mill or other suitable grinding device. The grindingshould be carried on until an exceedingly fine impalpable powder isproduced.

This powder is then thoroughly mixed with suflicient raw egg whites toform a thick, damp paste which can be easily pressed or moulded into anydesired shape. The preferred portions are 100 grams of egg whites to 144grams of magnesium silicate. The dampened powder or paste is then placedinto moulds and pressed into its final form such as a smoking pipe; asmoking pipe lining; or a cigar or cigarette holder.

The damp pressed articles is then placed in a suitable drier andmaintained at a temperature of from 100 to 130 F. for a period of 24hours.

When removed from the drier, it is a hard, light, form-retaining productwhich can be polished, ground, machined, or carved as desired to producethe finished article.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described andillustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may bevaried, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing fromthe spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired securedby Letters Patent is:

1. A process for the manufacture of meerschaum for smokers articlescomprising: intermixing ground magnesium silicate with the white ofeggs.

2. A process for the manufacture of meerschaum for smokers articlescomprising: grinding magnesium silicate to a fine powder; intermixingthe powder with the white of eggs; and thence drying the mixture.

3. A process for the manufacture of meerschaum for smokers articlescomprising: grinding magnesium silicate to a fine powder; intermixingthe powder with the white of eggs in sufficient portions to form a thickdamp paste; pressing this paste into the desired form; and. thencedrying the pressed paste.

4. A meerschaum product for the manufacture of smokers articlescomprising: powdered magnesium silicate bound together with dried eggwhites.

5. A meeschaum product for the manufacture of smokers articlescomprising: 144 grams of ground magnesium silicate intermixed with gramsof egg whites.

6. A process for manufacturing meerschaum for use in smokers articlescomprising: grinding magnesium silicate to a fine powder; mixingsufiicient whites of eggs with the powder to form a relatively stiffdamp paste; pressing this paste in moulds with suflicient pressure toproduce a form retaining article; and drying this article under theinfluence of heat for a period of hours.

7. A process for manufacturing meerschaum for use in smokers articlescomprising: grinding magnesium silicate to a fine powder; mixingsufficient whites of eggs with the powder to form a relatively stiffdamp paste, pressing this paste in moulds with sufiicient pressure toproduce a form retaining article; and drying this article at from 100 toF. for a period of from 18 to 30 hours.

FLOYD L- MARTIN.

